[AT] Ford 3000 Spindles

[Cecil Bearden]

I would be pretty certain that they will need reaming after pressing in 
the bushings.  Are the spindles worn also?   I have welded the spindle 
shafts and turned them on a lathe.  It takes about a 16in swing lathe or 
larger unless you have a gap bed.  You can get an expandable reamer on 
Ebay or from Wholesale Tool, but they are pretty tricky to keep from 
chattering.  I think it takes about a 3/16 reamer.  You have to insert 
the reamer entirely into the bushing then slowly increase the size.  
There are expandable reamers that spread out in the center and you move 
them through the bushing, and then there are the ones that expand 
parallel by collars on each end of the reamer.  A pilot reamer is the 
best for this work, but they are expensive.  Sometimes you can rent one. 
There is an ad on Home Shop Machinist magazine for reamer rental.

Here is a link to a set on Ebay that would probably work. 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/USA-Craftsman-9-pc-Vintage-Critchley-Adjustable-Expansion-Reamers-With-Pilots/162723575939?hash=item25e314b883:g:cD4AAOSwCMFZ7mjZ

   Back in the late  60's it cost about $75 per spindle for reaming, and 
another $150 to turn the spindles after I welded them myself.   That 
was  before I bought the equipment to rebuild a massey front end, they 
are just like the Ford.  I haven't rebuilt one in 20 years though.   My 
7030 Allis is needing it bad...

Cecil in OKla


On 11/25/2017 7:37 PM, Don wrote:
> My son is rebuilding his 1965 Ford 3000 front end.  I am not hear it but
> he was asking questions about the front end.  This one is shot so he has
> bought all the necessary parts.  He was asking about reaming the spindle
> bushings but I thought that one used bearing at the top and bottom on
> the spindle shaft.  Do they need reamed?
>